ليI have بالثويةat al-Thuwayya لوif only تواصلshe would grant union ظبيةa gazelle
لي بالثوية لو تواصل ظبية
بخلتshe was stingy عليtoward me بطيفهاwith her dream-visitation المعتادthe customary
بخلت علي بطيفها المعتاد
At al-Thawiyya I have a gazelle—if only she would keep in touch;
At al-Thuwayya I have a gazelle—if only she would grant me union—
she withheld from me the conversation I was accustomed to from her.
Who has withheld from me her accustomed dream-visitation.
غناءsweetly nasal-voiced لوif اسرتshe captured فؤادthe heart of متيمone besotted
غناء لو اسرت فؤاد متيم
فيهاwith her فماthen there is no لأسيرهاfor her captive منany فادransomer
فيها فما لأسيرها من فاد
Melodious—were she to capture the heart of one infatuated with her,
Sweet-voiced—were she to capture a heart besotted
her captive would have no one to ransom him.
With her, there would be none to ransom her captive.
ودعتهاI bade her farewell والقلبand the heart منfrom دهشbewilderment النوىparting
ودعتها والقلب من دهش النوى
فيin طاعةobedience to الاتهامtravel to the lowlands والانجادand travel to the uplands
في طاعة الاتهام والانجاد
I bade her farewell, while my heart, through an age of separation,
I bade her farewell, my heart bewildered by parting,
submitted to journeying down to Tihama and up to Najd.
In thrall to journeys down to the lowlands and up to the uplands.
لعبتtoyed بهاwith her الأيامthe days بعدafter تمنعaloofness
لعبت بها الأيام بعد تمنع
وعدتand assailed عليهاagainst her للزمانof time عواديcalamities
وعدت عليها للزمان عوادي
The days toyed with her after she had held aloof,
The days toyed with her after she had held herself aloof,
and the ravages of time assailed her.
And time’s calamities assailed her.
